1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bottom discharge system for upright storage vessels used for containing solid, particulate and/or fibrous materials and including flail chain type unloaders mounted in the vessel for dislodging and moving material out through a discharge opening.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Agricultural silos, industrial silos and other types of upright storage vessels have been used for storing a wide variety of particulate and fibrous type materials. A great many such materials (especially when wet) tend to hang up or bridge across a bottom discharge opening commonly provided in such vessels and silos, even after a material retaining discharge gate has been opened and an unloader mechanism or flail type unloader has been set into operation for dispensing material from storage.
The following U.S. patents are directed to bottom discharge type silos and storage vessels and the present invention provides an improved discharge system for use in conjunction with storage vessels and silos of the same general types having unloaders of the type shown in these patents:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,710,960; 3,828,946; 3,828,947; 3,837,507 and 4,079,848.